Paperless rail tickets ‘will pick lowest fare’

Paper train tickets will be phased out and replaced with smartcards that will always select the lowest fare, transport minister Norman Baker has vowed.

Paper train tickets are set to be phased out (Picture: PA)

The technology – similar to Oyster cards used in London – will be used across trains, buses, underground and light rail services, Mr Baker revealed exclusively to Metro.

On each journey, the card would automatically deduct the cheapest fare, saving time and effort on buying the right ticket in advance.

‘Smart technology is one way of making it easier for passengers,’ Mr Baker said. ‘I want to get a better deal to make sure people aren’t ripped off.

‘We’ve got train companies knocking on our doors to get ticket offices closed so we need to put in place measures that work.’ The savings in getting rid of magnetic strip tickets – which cost 0.1p each – will be passed on to passengers, Mr Baker pledged.

He said the increased information that can be put on smartcards would make it easier for train fares to fit the way people travel today.

‘Why should it be that someone travelling at 6am pays a peak-hour fare the same as someone at 7.45am?,’ said Mr Baker. ‘Why do we still have season tickets that assume that you are going to work nine to five Monday to Friday? If someone wants to work at home on Friday why should they be penalised? With smart technology we can change these things.’

The Association of Train Operating Companies said it was exploring ways that smart ticketing could cut journey times and offer more flexible fares.

But RMT union boss Bob Crow said it would allow ‘greedy train operators to axe ticket offices and de-staff our stations in the name of profit’.